The Lankenau Institute for Medical Research has launched a new program, the Lankenau-Israel Strategic Alliance (LISA), to develop collaborations between physicians and scientists at Lankenau Medical Center and medical centers in Israel. Under the umbrella of the Israel Heart Society, the program will promote mutually beneficial cardiology research. Dr. Itai Weissberg has been selected as the first LISA fellow and has joined the cardiovascular research program at the Lankenau Institute. The institute is part of Main Line Health. Future programs may include education-related exchanges among cardiac surgeons, including co-sponsorship of educational sessions at international cardiology meetings.

Spark expands leadership team

Spark Therapeutics added a new member to its management team with the appointment of gene therapy expert Federico Mingozzi, as chief scientific officer. Mingozzi will report to Dr. Katherine A. High, the Philadelphia company’s co-founder and president, who will continue to head research and development. Mingozzi is joining Spark from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research and Genethon, a leading French nonprofit R&D organization focused on rare diseases. Spark and Genethon announced a research partnership last month. Mingozzi is no stranger to Philadelphia. Earlier in his career, he was director of translational research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, where he was involved in the development of gene therapies.

Ocugen starts study of dry eye therapy

The Food and Drug Administration accepted Ocugen Inc.’s investigational new drug application for OCU310, the Malvern company’s experimental treatment for dry eye disease. The topical formulation is a brimonidine and steroid combination therapy. Following the FDA acceptance, Ocugen dosed its first patient in a proof-of-concept study. The 4-year-old company, focused on ocular disorders, is led by Dr. Shankar Musunuri, its chairman, CEO and co-founder. Dry eye disease is a common ocular disorder that afflicts more than 4.8 million people in the United States. It involves the abnormal production and stability of tear film, which results in damage to the ocular surface of the eye. Common signs and symptoms include of the condition include eye redness, ocular pain, burning and stinging sensation, and itchy or scratchy eye sensation.